The 10 commandments of screenplay format (#2)

No wonder that Formatville's motto is: "Live by its 10 commandments or" - like Donnie Brasco would say - "Fuhgeddaboudit"

So if you want YOUR screenplay to be read and not tossed, apply these script formatting guidelines. Today the second commandment.

#2: "Thou shalt not let the reader get lost"

We asked our format expert, Matt, aka Formatman, to lead us through the 10 formatting commandments.

If you missed the introduction to this series of articles, you may want to check it out first. Here is the link to Part 1, where it all started.

Whatascript: The answer may be obvious, but why is this second commandment important?

Formatman: When you hear the reader say these lines from the TV series Chuck about YOUR screenplay...

- Where am I? Is this a bathroom? - No! This is hell!

then you know the reader got lost in your story and you blew it. Your movie script just got closer to get tossed to the pile of "Pass".

Whatascript: How to avoid this deadly perspective?

Formatman: Use these 2 elements of screenplay format: master and secondary scene headings (also called sluglines).

Screenplay format first element: master headings

Whatascript: What is a master scene heading?

Formatman: In screenplay format, a master scene heading, also called primary slug line, is a one line of text in a screenplay that comes before the description of a scene.

It gives a context for the whole scene.

It is as if everything that happens in the whole scene - what is seen, what is heard and where it all happens - is filmed in a single continuous shot, a master shot. Therefore the name of master scene heading.

Whatascript: How does this screenplay format element look like?

Formatman:

EXT. DOWNTOWN LOS ANGELES - DAY INT. PARIS AIRPORT - NIGHT

Whatascript: It looks like they are 3 parts...

Formatman: Correct. In screenplay format, a master heading is made of:

the camera location,

the scene location and

the time

1. Camera location

Formatman: You have basically 2 choices:

INT. (for Interior) - the scene takes place inside a building

or

EXT. (for Exterior) - the scene takes place outside a building

It is usually clear where you are and therefore which one you need to use.

Whatascript: Why does it matter?

Formatman: It tells the production crew if they will be shooting on stage or on location. That impacts the budget.

INT./EXT. ORPHANAGE - DAY Faces in the windows; the orphans watch Hazel walking across the snowy lawn with her new parents.

2) From "American History X", written by David McKenna:

INT./EXT. BEDROOM - DEREK'S POV He looks through the blinds and stares at the UNMARKED CAR. Danny throws his backpack on the bed and exits.

3) From "Ali", written by Stephen J. Rivele & Christopher Wilkinson and Eric Roth & Michael Mann - with this time an EXT./INT. camera location:

EXT./INT. THE UNITED STATES ARMED FORCES STATION, HOUSTON - LOBBY - CHAUNCEY ESKRIDGE - DAY waits at the curb as Ali and Herbert pull up and get out of a car...move through the crowd...reporters shouting questions at him we don't hear, go up the steps, into the lobby, joining other recruits and M.P.'s.

Whatascript: What if a scene takes place at the same time as the previous one?

Formatman: You then use CONTINUOUS or SAME. This is an example from "Enemy of the State", written by David Marconi.

EXT. SOUTHEAST CAPITOL DISTRICT - DAY An old building needing rehab. A SIDEWALK VENDOR does brisk business, we DRIFT to an apartment window above. TV NEWSCASTER (V.O.) Police are labeling it an accident but promise a full investigation. INT. ZAVITZ APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS ZAVITZ is staring intently at his computer monitor. We don't know yet what he's looking at, but he's scared to death as we continue to listen to the NEWS REPORT... NEWSCASTER (O.S.) Don Hamersley, senior GOP congressional leader, was serving as a negotiator on the House/Senate sub-committee studying the Anti- Terror Bill...

Whatascript: How about a scene that happens in a specific year. How do you mention it?